Serving-tray.



PATLNTLD DLG. 31, 19o7.

C. D.` MITCHELL.

SERVING TRAY.A

APPLICATION FILED ma. 6.1901.

'v 'U U U U- UiU'U Uvi TH: Narmrs PETER: co., wAsHlNaruN, n. c.

UNTTED sTATEsI PATENT oEEroE.

CLARA DODGE MITCHELL, OF GRANT, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CLINTON E.

ACHORN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SERVING-TRAY.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application liled March 6,1907. Serial NO- 360,952.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARA DODGE MITCH- ELL, of Grant, in the county of Perkins and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Serving-Trays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a serving appliance adapted chiefly for convenience in serving invalids in rooms remote from a kitchen, and adapted for use in transporting at the same time both hot and cold articles of food and drink.`

The invention consists in the improved appliance which I will now proceedA to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-Figure 1 represents a side view of an appliance embody ing my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures. A

In the drawings a and b represent two serving trays which may be of any suitable form, and are preferably slightly dished or provided .with raised margins, as shown in Fig. 2. The bottom tray a may be of greater area than the upper tray l), or it may be of substantially the same area. The upper tray l) is provided with a depending flange c, extending continuously along its margin, and adapted to'bear upon the bottom tray a. The said flange constitutes the side wall of a heat-confining chamber. Itv is preferably provided with a horizontal partition, which may be of such construction as to ybe a nonconductor of heat. As here shown, the partition is composed of a layer g of sheet metal, and a layer i of asbestos, placed upon the layer g, the whole being secured to the flange c in any suitable way, such as by being sprung into a bead 7iy formed on said flange, the engagement being rendered more secure, if desired, by solder or otherwise.

The partition is preferably located below the bottom of `the upper tray l), and separated therefrom by an air space, the flange being provided above the partition with orifices which permit a circulation of air through the air space. The flange c and the lower tray may be provided with complemental coupling members whereby they may be detachably connected, said members being, fOreXample, hooks f, pivoted to the flange c, and lugs e attached to the bottom tray,l and adapted to engage the hooks. If desired, however, the coupling devices need not be connected, or they may be omitted.

Vhen an attendant has to carry both hot and cold articles, the hot articles are placed on the lower tray, and the upper tray with its flange is then placed in position forming a heat-confining chamber above the lower tray. The cold articles are placed upon the upper tray, and the heat from the articles on the lower tray is excluded from them by the partition and by the intermediate air space.

I claim:

l. A serving appliance, comprising a base tray and an upper tray, the latter having a depending flange adapted to bear on the base tray, and form the sides of a heat-confining chamber, and a partition of slow heatconducting material forming the top of said chamber, said partition being attached to said flange and separated from the bottom of the upper tray by an air space.

2. A serving appliance, comprising a base tray and an upper tray, the latter having a depending flange adapted to bear on the base tray, and form the sides of a heat-confining chamber, and a partition of slow heat conducting material formin the top of said chamber, said partition eing attached to said flange and separated from the bottom of the upper tray by an air space, the said flange and the base tray being provided with complemental coupling members whereby they may be detachably connected, orifices being formed in the flange above the partition to permit circulation of air through the space between the upper tray and the partition.

In testimnoy whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

- CLARA DODGE MITCHELL. Vitnesses:

B. E. HAsTrNGs,

J. ROBERT ALLEN. 

